Copywriter Core Competencies

This list is a breakdown of the skills, knowledge and capabilities of a copywriter. Not all competencies apply to all copywriters; advertising copywriters may have different capabilities compared to a digital content designer, or someone working in corporate communications.

4 Ps

Marketing Foundation

Knows the importance and relevance of the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place and promotion.

AIDA

Marketing Foundation

Knows the advertising effect model AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) and how to apply it to copywriting projects.

Briefing

Client Relationships

Understands how to effectively develop a project brief with the client’s participation. This includes understanding how to ask the right questions to develop a strong brief.

Clear and direct writing

Copywriting Foundation

Understands the difference between passive and active writing and knows how (and when) to address readers directly.

Content design

Specialist Skill

Has the skills to work as part of a digital content team to structure and write effective content.

Content marketing

Specialist Skill

Understands the nature of content marketing, and can help organisations to drive sales by creating content that engages an audience and spurs them to act.

Content strategy

Specialist Skill

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Copywriting – defined

Copywriting Foundation

Can explain the purpose of copywriting and its distinction from other writing disciplines.

Copywriting – process

Copywriting Foundation

Can follow a structured process to complete copywriting projects, all the way from initial brief, through research, development, reviews and on to sign-off and publication.

Creative thinking

Soft Skills

Has the ability to think creatively about commercial challenges in order to produce original ideas and strategies.

Curiosity

Soft Skills

Takes a general interest in people, trends, fashions, market forces and world events. A broad base of knowledge is helpful given the variety of products and services that copywriters are expected to sell, covering a wide span of industries.

Empathy

Soft Skills

Can put themselves in someone else’s position and understand their experiences, motivations and feelings.

Copywriters need empathy in order to create concepts and content that resonates with the intended audience.

Expectation management

Client Relationships

Knows how to support clients and stakeholders so they understand what to expect at each stage of a project.

Whether working as part of an in-house team or independently with clients, copywriters need to communicate clearly and directly about the flow of concepts and content as the project develops.

Feedback

Client Relationships

Understands how to effectively gather and respond to feedback in a range of contexts, formats and client relationships.

Grammar and spelling

Writing Essentials

How people read

Writing Essentials

Interpersonal skills

Soft Skills

Market research

Marketing Foundation

Marketing history

Marketing Foundation

Marketing rules and regulations

Marketing Foundation

Marketing trends

Marketing Foundation

Press Releases

Specialist Skill

Problem-solving

Soft Skills

Project management

Client Relationships

Radio

Specialist Skill

Script Writing

Specialist Skill

See CopyDeck

Copywriting Tactics

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Specialist Skill

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